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PORTLAND, Ore. – Damian Lillard watched Chandler Parsons’ last-second shot fall through and could not help but think of Sunday. The Rockets celebrated their way back to their bench, nine-tenths of a second shy of Game 7.

“I think I can speak for our entire team,” Lillard said. “When Chandler Parsons made that layup with .9 seconds (left), everybody was like, “We got to go back to Houston.”

The Rockets, however, left Lillard all the time and all the space he would need on the game’s final play. While Parsons closing, but unable to get there in time just moments after he made what appeared to be a game-winner, Lillard swished his jumper from 25 feet, lifting the Blazers past the Rockets 99-98, and eliminating the Rockets with the most devastating and shocking of finishes.

“It’s the worst feeling I ever had in my life,” Parsons said. “It’s crazy. You think the game is over, .9 seconds, you just got to get a stop and this locker room is totally different. We’re going home to play a Game 7 to move on. Instead, it’s over. There’s no words to describe the feeling.”

The Rockets instructions during the time out were clear. No 3s. But Lillard ran around Mo Williams and Wesley Matthews on the baseline. Parsons wasn’t screened, but he was behind from Lillard’s first step, chasing around the traffic, but never catching up.

“It’s not like they got a piece of me,” Parsons said. “Just got a step on me.”

The Rockets goal was strictly to make the Blazers pass inside the the 3-point line. They had a foul to give, but by the time Lillard caught Nicolas Batum’s inbounds pass, he was already rising up to shoot.

“We specifically said no 3s,” McHale said. “He made a hell of a shot. A frustrating way to end the season for us.”

The Blazers had planned to get the ball to either Lillard or LaMarcus Aldridge. Dwight Howard had the inbounds pass to Aldridge covered so Batum turned to Lillard.

“I got a pretty good look,” Lillard said. “I was able to square up. It felt real good this week leaving my hands. Once I saw it online, I said, “That got a chance.’

“That’s definitely the biggest shot of my life.”

Then he added the words the Rockets cannot, at least not this season. “So far.”

With that, a Rockets season that began with promise that grew into expectations, ended nine-tenths of a second from Game 7.

With that 3, mirroring the Brandon Roy play against the Rockets, the Blazers won a playoff series for the first time since 2000, with Lillard celebrating by taking the microphone to shout “Rip Cityyyyyyy!”

With that, the Blazers had won a playoff series for the first time since 2000, ending the NBA’s longest stretch between first-round series wins. The Rockets were left still with just one series win in 17 seasons – and as much pain as after nearly any of them.

“A tough way to end the season,” said James Harden, who had his best game of the series with 34 points. “We fought so hard. So many games we had the lead in the fourth quarter, just basically gave it away.

“He was too open. We had a certain defensive scheme. He got loose and made a shot. He’s been making shots all night.”

Though no moment will haunt the Rockets as much as Lillard’s trey, they had chances again to secure the win. Dwight Howard carried the Rockets in the fourth quarter, scoring 13 of his 26 points. But he missed four free throws with the Rockets threatening to pull away in the closing minutes.

With the Rockets leading by two with 48 seconds left, Jeremy Lin nailed a 3-pointer that could have all but sealed the win. But Omer Asik was called for holding Aldridge as he closed toward Lin, fouling out and giving the Blazers a chance to tie the game.

Batum pulled up from 17 feet to tie it, but when Parsons put in the rebound of a Harden miss, the Rockets had the win so close that nothing else seemed possible.

Then Lillard got loose, and the Rockets were powerless to do anything but watch the ball hang in the air before it’s devastating landing.

“It hurts,” Howard said. “When you put everything you’ve got on the floor and somebody hits you with a dagger like that, it’s a tough pill to swallow.”